Tears
by Nikita3
Summary: What will Lord Elrond's foster daughter think of Prince Legolas? This story is AU and NOT Canon!
1. Willow

Willow crept as quietly as she could up the stairs and ran quickly into the entrance hall. _Made it_. She thought. _No one will have even noticed my absence at dinner_. Smiling slightly. Willow walked over to a vase of flowers on the table and twirled one of the flowers round in her fingers.

"I suppose you are proud of yourself Willow?"

Willow dropped the flower; cursing lightly she turned around to face Gandalf.

"Why do you ask Mithrandir?"

"Sneaking off after the afternoon meal…"

"I did not _sneak_ off I have every right to wander the gardens as any elf here!"

Gandalf held up his hand as a signal to be quiet.

"Not being seen for hours, missing the evening meal completely and then suddenly turning up in the entrance hall."

Willow crossed her arms across her chest. Gandalf's tone softened.

"_Why_, Willow? Do you mean to cause Lord Elrond worry beyond reason? Do you mean to hurt him every time you go missing? Why do you do it?"

She looked at Gandalf. "I don't know why I do it. Maybe it is because I feel like an outsider in this house yet I have been here for long enough. Or maybe it is the consist teasing that I do wish to be like other ladies all ladylike and proper?"

With that Willow turned and ran up the stairs. Gandalf closed his eyes and a few minutes later he heard a door slam shut. _Poor Willow_. He thought. _She feels trapped in her own home_. He shook his head. _Almost her own home._ He corrected himself. 

Upstairs in her room, Willow stared out at the night sky. Tears falling down her cheeks as she gazed at the stars. She felt so alone here in Rivendell. Lord Elrond was like a father to her. Yet she kept causing him pain but running off. She knew it was wrong to do it, but what else could she do? She felt so trapped.

~*~*~

The next morning when Willow went down for the morning meal that was a hush about the table. There always was when Willow had gone missing the night before. One by one the elves slowly left the table, but Willow stayed there drinking some water and thinking. 

"So you decided to return to us then?" 

Willow looked up at Lord Elrond. 

"Yes Sir. I am sorry for running off last night."

Elrond felt surprised Willow rarely apologised about anything.

"Well sorry isn't really going to help is it? Now?"

Willow shook her head.

"What to do with you Willow I don't…."

Elrond stopped mid-sentence. It was a trick of a light it must be. No. He looked again. Willow was crying. But that wasn't possible, was it? She never cried in front of anyone she was too proud by far. That was what everyone thought anyway. He had heard the rumours.

"Willow?" Elrond said gently. "Please stop crying. I'm not angry, I promise."

Willow sniffed and looked up at him. "Really?"

He nodded.

Willow stopped crying. "I am really sorry you know."

"I know child, I know. I have a little talk with Mithrandir earlier."

Willow looked slightly worried.

"He explained everything. Why didn't you talk to me Willow?"

"I don't know. I was scared I guess about your reaction."

Elrond smiled. 

"Well you don't need to be. Anytime you need to talk to me just ask."

Willow nodded.

"Thank you."


	2. On to Mirkwood

Elrond saw Willow putting some flowers in a vase and he smiled. He hoped she would like the idea Mithrandir had thought up. 

"Willow?"

She turned around. "Yes Sir?"

"Mithrandir and I have thought up a plan. How would you like to visit Mirkwood?"

Willow looked confused. 

"Why would I want to visit Mirkwood? It doesn't sound very nice, the name I mean."

Elrond sighed.

"You feel trapped here, corrected?"

Willow nodded.

"I. _We_ thought it would be a nice idea for you to get away from Rivendell for a while. You would stay in the palace at Mirkwood for a time."

"When do I leave?"

"In a few minutes." 

Willow ran upstairs and started to pack her stuff. "I can't believe I am going to Mirkwood! Yes!"

"That excited?"

Willow blushed as Glorfindel smiled at her. "It is common politeness to knock on the door of a lady, and since you asked yes."

Glorfindel laughed.

"A lady? You?"

Willow put her hands on her hips. "Anything is possible."

Glorfindel raised his eyebrows and Willow picked up her bag and ran down the stairs to the entrance hall. Willow put her cloak on and turned to Lord Elrond.

"Goodbye Sir."

Elrond nodded unable to say anything. Willow turned to Gandalf. 

He smiled. "You'll be back before you know it, hopefully in a better frame of mind?"

Willow laughed, "maybe. Goodbye Mithrandir."

She went out into the stables and mounted her horse Snowdrop and rode out of the gates of Rivendell. Elrond turned away and walked back into the house. 

"I hope I have done the right thing by sending her to Mirkwood. What if she gets injured on the way?"

Gandalf put his hand on the Elf-Lord's shoulder. 

"This is Willow we are talking about. The same elf that has regularly beaten your sons in sword fighting and archery. She has trained with them, Elrond. She knows how to defend herself out in the wild."

Elrond sighed. "I hope you are right Mithrandir. I hope you are right."

A way away from Rivendell, Willow looked back and smiled. _I will return Lord Elrond; in time I will return to my home. Rivendell will always be in my heart. _


	3. Meeting the Prince

Willow rode up though the main forest up to the palace. Everyone seemed very busy. She dismounted her horse, which was taken away by a stable hand. _So this is Mirkwood then_. She thought. _Why does it have such a bad name?_

"Excuse me?" Willow asked and she tapped on an elf's shoulder. He didn't turn around. Willow tried again.

"Excuse me?"

Willow sighed.

"HELLO?"

The elf jumped and turned around and glared at her. 

"What do _you _want?" He sneered. 

"What do _I_ want? Let me see? Well, I've just arrived from Rivendell, so I would like to be let into the palace and directed to my rooms." Willow smiled.

"You stay in the palace?" The guard started laughing.

"It's no problem. I'll just ride back to Rivendell…"

"Yes little girl you do that"

"And tell Lord Elrond that they won't let me in the palace shall I?"

The guard turned pale.

"Lord Elrond? I am so sorry, Milady. A misunderstanding. Please follow me."

Willow smirked. __

She followed the gate upstairs to her rooms. It was a large room with a four poster bed. The walls and bed spread were a light blue with silver decoration a large bay window looked out onto the archery targets. Willow smiled.

*~*~*

"Ah, Legolas have you met the lady from Rivendell yet," his father asked him. 

"No not yet. She sounds amazing though."

"Indeed."

A guard quickly ran into the room.

"Where is the Lady from Rivendell?"

The guard swallowed.

"She is at the archery targets, Sire. Her name is Willow."

"Why is she at the archery targets?" Legolas asked.

The guard swallowed again.

"She is practicing archery sir."

"What?" Legolas couldn't believe his ears.

He ran outside to the archery targets and sure enough a female elf was practicing archery. Two plaits held her long black hair back and she was wearing leggings and a tunic that was dark red with her back towards him.

Legolas couldn't believe it.

Willow turned around.

"Haven't you ever seen a lady doing archery before?"


	4. Getting to Know each other

Legolas felt stunned. Didn't she know who he was? _Obviously_ _not_. He thought.

"Excuse me? Don't you know who I am?"

Willow shook her head.

"I am Prince Legolas."

"And I'm Arwen's sister." Willow said picking up her bow.

"Arwen mentioned nothing to me of a sister."

Willow rolled her eyes.

"Can you not understand a joke?"

Willow walked back to the palace. 

"I will see you at dinner tonight." Legolas said looking at her.

Willow shrugged and walked up to her room and closed the door behind her. _That Prince is so annoying! Worse than the twins._ Willow turned around to find a maid standing next to the bed.

"Excuse me, milady. I have been instructed by the King to help you get ready for dinner."

"I can get myself ready _thank you_."

The maid curtseyed. 

"I will leave tonight's dress for you on your bed then Milady."

The maid opened the door and closed it softly behind her.

Willow lay in the bath with her eyes closed. _I cannot believe Mithrandir managed to persuade Elrond to send me here. I bet he accidentally forgot to tell me about the Prince of course! _Willow got out of the bath and found the dress for the evening meal. It was dark red with long sleeves it was decorated with gold. 

_If the twins hear about this I will never be able to live it down!_

Willow muttered to herself as she put the dress on.

The maid came in again and helped Willow with her hair. 

*~*~*

Legolas sat at the table next to his father. 

"So did you meet Lady Willow?" His father asked as he took a sip of wine.

"I did, father. She is certainly…different from other elf maidens."

The King laughed.

"Sometimes different is better, son."

Legolas was about to reply when Willow walked into the hall. At least he thought it was Willow, it looked like her.  As she got closer, he could see that it was she. He stood up and smiled.

"Please sit down Lady Willow," he said pulling out a chair next to him.

"Thank you, Your Highness. It is just Willow."

The King smiled.

"It is an honour to have you here in Mirkwood, Willow. We hope you will enjoy your time here."

Willow smiled and looked up as the food started to arrive.

"You are a good archer." Legolas told Willow.

"I should be. I've trained with Elrond's sons."

Legolas looked slightly impressed.

"Indeed? Would you care for a challenge later, first to hit the target in the centre?"

"Fine with me. I'll have to change first though."

"Of course."


	5. Learning to be a Lady

Willow twirled one of her arrows around in her fingers as she waited for Legolas to show up. She had changed into a dark blue tunic and leggings. _Most more comfortable than that dress!_ Willow thought. 

"Are you ready?" Legolas asked walking up carrying his bow.

"Totally."

Legolas raised his eyebrows. _She speaks strangely not like any of the other maidens_. He shook his head and smiled at Willow.

"Aim for that target over there," he pointed to a target not too far away.

Willow sighed and fitted an arrow to her bow. The arrow hit dead center. Willow smiled.

"You turn, _Your Highness_."

Legolas aimed his arrow and hit the target dead center as well. 

Willow shrugged and turned to walk away.

"Willow."

She turned around.

"Yes?"

"Your lessons start tomorrow morning, my father told me to tell you."

He smiled.

"What lessons?"

Legolas looked a bit shocked.

"Didn't anyone tell you?"

Willow shook her head.

"Lessons how to learn to become a lady. I understand that it was father's idea."

Willow didn't move.

"He thought that since you were going to be here you might as well learn to be a Lady."

Willow picked up her bow and walked off to her room very quickly.

Willow was fuming! _Lessons to become a Lady? How dare he! I am no Lady and I never wish to be one!_

*~*~*

A knock on the door woke Willow up the next morning. A maid walked into and pulled back the curtains.

"Willow you must get up! Once you have dressed please report to the hall."

The maid left and closed the door behind her. Willow got up and had a bath and then discovered what she had to wear. Grumbling to herself she put the long white dress on with the white slippers and brushed her hair. Then she walked quickly to the hall. 

"There you are Willow!"

Willow smiled at the head maid who was working towards her. 

"Why are you walking so slowly?"

"If I walk any faster I am going to trip over this dress and land flat on the floor!"

The head maid smiled trying not to laugh.

"Well I assume you are eager about having these lessons?"

"You have to be joking."

Willow sat down in a chair.

"No. The lessons start now. Can you not even sit down properly?"

Willow felt confused. _There's a special way you have to sit down?_

"No."

The head maid sighed. 

"Let's start with walking right."

She put a book on Willow's head.

"Now walk over to the door and back again. Back straight."

Willow walked over to door and started to walk back. _Hey this easy! _Her foot caught on the edge of a tablecloth and fell forward taking the tablecloth with her.

The head maid walked over to her.

"I can see this is not going to easy. Lets start again. We will do this until you get it right!"

Willow groaned.


	6. Seeing Old Friends

Willow fell backwards onto her bed and stared at the ceiling.

"This is so hard!" Willow exclaimed.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in."

Her maid walked in and smiled at her.

"You have to get ready for dinner Willow."

"I do? Is tonight special?"

The maid nodded excitedly as she ushered Willow into her bathroom.

"Have you not heard? Mithrandir and the Queen Arwen are visiting tonight!"

Willow climbed into the hot water and the maid left to get her dress for dinner. _I can't believe Mithrandir and Arwen are coming here tonight!_ Willow thought happily. She climbed out of the bath, dried herself and walked into her room again.

"WHAT?"

Willow looked at the dress that was laid out on her bed in horror.

"You expect me to wear _that_?"

The dress was pure white and the bodice was decorated with silver strands that were entwined to make a pattern. The sleeves were long and reached down to the waist. The neckline was cut quite low. 

"Yes, Willow. You are also being moved to a different set of rooms tonight. If you haven't noticed most of your stuff has already been moved."

Willow looked around.

"A _set_ of rooms?"

The maid nodded. She plait two strands of Willow's hair and tied them together behind her head to keep the rest of her hair out of her face. She then wove silver ribbon through the plait. She put a mithril necklace with an emerald stone round her neck.

*~*~*

"Ah Mithrandir! And Queen Arwen! I trust your journey was good?" The King asked as Arwen and Gandalf stepped into the hall.

"Yes thank you Sire." Arwen said as she took a seat at the table.

"How is Willow?" Gandalf asked.

"Why not ask her yourself Mithrandir?" The King said as Willow walked into the hall.

Willow sat down at the table and smiled at the King. Arwen turned to her.

"How are you Willow?"

"They are making me have lessons to become a lady!" Willow whispered.

Arwen laughed quietly.

"It is not funny!"

Legolas smiled at Willow.

"How are your lessons coming along Willow? I trust you are progressing well? I have not seen you practicing archery recently?"

Willow sighed in annoyance.

"They won't let me! A proper lady is not meant to practice archery!"

Gandalf raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you didn't want to be a lady Willow?"

"I don't want to be! If you will excuse me."

Willow stood up and walked out of the hall.

"Poor Willow," Arwen, said. "Maybe I should go after her?"

Legolas stood up. "I will." He left the hall.


	7. Trying

Willow sat on a bench and looked at the stars. _I don't want to be a lady; I have never wanted to be a lady!_ She thought angrily. _All I want to do is practice my sword fighting and archery. Not learn how to walk properly and sit properly! _

"Willow?"

She turned to see Prince Legolas standing behind her.

"I just want to be left alone, thank you. Your Highness."

She turned back to look at the stars again.

Legolas didn't know what to say. He was at a loss for words. Willow was different from the other elf maidens he knew.

"Willow, I…"

"Leave her Legolas, your father wishes to see you inside."

Willow kept looking up the stars. When she turned around she saw that Gandalf was sitting next to her. 

"Aren't you happy here Willow?"

"Yes and no."

Gandalf looked amused.

"Yes and no?"

Willow nodded.

"I still feel trapped. But it is a different type of trapped."

"Go on."

"Everyone expects me to be a perfect Lady from living in Rivendell and I'm not. They are trying to give me lessons to become more like a lady. But it isn't working. I don't want to be a lady, Mithrandir."

Gandalf sighed.

"Would you rather go back to Rivendell?"

"No, I mean I love Rivendell and everyone in it. But I like it here too." _I would like it a lot better if they weren't trying to make me become a lady!_ Willow thought.

Gandalf sighed again.

"Give it a try Willow. Try and be a lady. Lord Elrond would be pleased if he at least knew that you were trying."

"I know."

He stood up.

"Are you going to come back into the hall?"

"After I just stormed out of it? Are you serious?"

Gandalf laughed.

"I am sure the King will forgive you."

Willow stood up.

"I will try to be a lady but no promises. Do you know how hard it is to walk with a book on your head without falling over?"

Gandalf laughed again.

"It's not funny especially when you get a tablecloth on you as well!"

They entered the hall and Willow sat down again. Legolas looked at her. _I am going to figure you out Willow_. He vowed silently.


End file.
